Air-brake signaling and releasing device.



No. 7|2;9|5. Patented Nov. 4, I902.

I F. H. DUKESMITH. v MR BRAKE SIGNALING AND BELEASING DEVICE.

. (Application filed June 6, 1902. v

(No Model. 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

WITNESSES: IN VENTOR a I B) I 1 A T7'0H/VE YS.

THE Nonqxs I EYERs go PHOYO-LJTHQ. WASNINGTONLQ c.

No. 7l2,9|5. Patented Noy.4, I902.

F. H. DUKESMITII. AIR BRAKE SIGNALING AND BELE ASING DEVICE.

(Application filed June 6, 1902.)

mm) 2 Sheets-Sheet .2.

W/TNESSES: I/NVENTOH' ZZMWIIZZW W j ATTORNEYS.

Unirno STATES ATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. DUKESMITI-I, OF CHARLESTOVVN, WEST VIRGINIA; ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO BENJAMIN F ACKERMAN, F PALESTINE, TEXAS.

AIR-BRAKE SIGNALING AND RELEASING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,915, dated November4, 1902. Application filed June 6,1902 Serial No. 110,490. (No model.)

To all whom it mag ponccrn: fied at once that the brakes are stickingand Be it known that I, FRANK II. DUKESMITH, can release the brakeswhile the train is mova citizen of the United States, residing at ing bymeans of the release-valve, which will Oharlestown, in the county ofJefferson and presently be described in detail.

5 State of Test Virginia, have made certain When the brakes are set, asis well known,

new and useful Improvements'in Air-Brake there is always pressure in thebrake-cylin- Signaling and Releasing Devices, of which der,suchpressureoperatingtosetthe brakes. the following is a specification.By my invention I provide a signal operated My invention is animprovement in ai'rby the pressure in the brake'cylinder to one 10 brakesignaling and releasing devices, and position and arrange to readjust toanother has for an object, among others, to provide a position when suchpressure is released from simple construction whereby to signal to thethe brake-cylinder and also provide means train-crew whenever the brakeis set from for releasing the pressure from the brakeany cause whateverand also to enable the cylinder, so the brakes can-release and the 15crew to release the brakes while the train is signal can readjust.

moving; and the invention consists in cer- In the construction shown Iemploy a cyltain novel constructionsand combinations of inder A,connected at one end by a pipe B parts, as will be hereinafter describedand with the brake-lcylinder X to receive presclaimed. sure therefrom,apiston G operating in the 20 In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view ofa cylinder A and arranged to be moved by the portion of the car providedwith myinvention, pressure in the brake-cylinder, and a signal and Fig.2isasectional elevation of the signal D, which is opcrated'by the piston0. As devices. This view Fig. 2 also includes two shown and preferred,the piston O is nordetail cross-sections, Fig. 2 and Fig. 2 on theymally at the lower end of the cylinder A and 25 linesa aandbb ofFig.2illustrating the crossis held in such position by a spring 0',opersectionalform of the valve-stem to permit the. ating'between thepiston O and the upper proper guiding and venting alongside said end ofthe cylinder A. The signal D is carstem and the tubular construction ofthe pi's-' ried on the piston-rod E of the piston C, and ton-rod for thepurposes more fully described when the brake-cylinderis charged withpres- 30 hereinafter. sure to set the brake such pressure will Thepurpose of myinve'ntion is to signal to pass through the pipe B, forcethe piston the train-crew that the brake is set, let itebe 'C from theposition at the lower end of the from any cause whateveras, forinstance, in cylinder A toward the opposite end of the ascending gradesif the train-pipe leaks the cylinder, and thus throw the signal or flagD 35 brake would be caused to apply, and as a reinto view and notify thetrain-crew that the suit the train would be stalled or pulled apart.brake is set,and the signal will remain in this By means of my presentinvention the trainposition until the pressure in the brake-cylcrew isnotified that the brakes are sticking inder is released. I also providemeans for and being so notified are able to release the releasing thepressure in the brake-cylinder 4o brake while the train is in motion bymeans in orderto release the brake. I prefer to conof the release valve,presently described. meet the releasing devices with the signal de-Again, should the train-pipe leak and cause vices and to employ theconstruction as 5 the brakes to apply on descending a grade shown, whichconsists in making the pistonand any defect in the triple valvesuch, forrod E, which carries the signal D in the form 45 instance, asaleakingpiston packing ring or of. a tube, opening at its lower end through.

a sticking tripleprevent the engineer from the piston G and provided atits upper end releasing the brake in the usual manner the with areleasing-valveG, which is spring and rapid movement of the wheelspressing air pressed to closed positionand may be deagainst thebrake-shoes would cause the pressed by hand to release the pressure be-50 wheels to become overheated, and as a conlow the pistonC and topermit the escape of sequence the wheels would either slide or thepressure in the brake-cylinder through burst and probably wreck thetrain. By the the pipe B and thence out through the tubupresentinvention the train-crew will be notilar piston-rod E and valve G asdesired.

It is preferred to arrange the flag D along the end of the car, so itwill normally be depressed in a pocket D below the top of the car andwhen operated by the pressure in the brakecylinder will be forced upabove the car immediately below the hand-wheel ordinarily employed onfreight-cars and as shown in the drawings. This puts the signals in theposition where they can be readily seen by the train crew and by theengineer. If at any time the train crew is notified by the signals thatthe brakes are set when not desired, the brakeman or other train handcan in a moment operate the valve G to release the pressure in thebrake-cylinder, and thus release the brake and permit the signal D toreadjust to normal position. It will be noticed this can be done whilethe train is in motion and will avoid the accidents and injuriesresulting from the setting of the brakes when not desired. The inventionis also useful in testing trains in yards at terminals, or elsewhere, asthe engineer can determine at a glance by the signals whether any orallot the brake devices are defective, and if so which one, as thesignals D on the several cars will indicate at a glance whether thebrakes of the respective cars are set and if they properly release bythe correct action of the triples.

The device Will also indicate whether the piston has the proper travelor whether the auxiliaries are properly charged by the action of thepressure on the pistonof the signal-cylinder, the tension of the spring0 being regulated to permit the movement of the flag to a certain pointunder proper pressure, and any variation above or below such point willindicate too little or too great pressure up to a certain degree.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An air-brake signalingand releasing device comprising a cylinderarranged at one end for connection with the brake-cylinder, a pistonoperating in said cylinder and arranged to be actuated by the pressurefrom the brake-cylinder, a spring for readjusting the said piston tonormal position, a hollow piston-rod exending from said piston andarranged to receive pressure from the brakecylinder, a valve in thepiston-rod, and a signal carried thereby substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the brake-cylinder, a cylinder connected therewithand receiving pressure therefrom, a piston in said second cylinder andarranged for operation in one direction by brake-cylinder pressure, aspring for operating the piston in the other direction, a hollowpiston-rod extending from said piston, a valve controlling thepiston-rod, and a signal carried by the piston-rod substantiall y as setforth.

3. The combination of the brake-cylinder, a signal arranged foroperation by the brakecylinder pressure and means for operation by thetrain-crew whereby to release the brakecylinder pressure through thesignal substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the brake-cylinder-,of a signalincludingacylinderand means therein arranged for operation bybrake-cylinder pressure when the brakes are set, and devices inconnection with the signal for releasing brake-cylinder pressure wherebyto permit the release of the brake and the readjustment of the signalsubstantially as set forth.

0. The combination of the brake-cylinder, a signal-cylinder connectedwith the brakecylinder, a piston operatingin the signal-cylinder, asignal arranged for operation by said piston, and means for releasingthe pressure in the brake-cylinder through the signal-cylindersubstantially as set forth.

6. An air-brake signaling and releasing device comprising thecylinderarranged forconnection with the brake-cylinder, the pistonoperating therein and arranged to operate the signal, the signal, and arelease-valve for releasing the pressure in the signal-cylindersubstantially as set forth.

7. A signal for operation by the brake-cylinder pressure and having apiston, a hollow piston-rod, a release-valve controlling said rod and asignal on the rod substantially as set forth.

S. The combination of the signal-cylinder for connection with thebrake-cylinder,means for venting the signal-cylinder and therebyrelieving pressure in the brake-cylinder, the piston operating in thesignal-cylinder, the piston-rod provided with a signal,and a spring forreadjusting the piston substantially as set forth.

9. Thesignal-cylinderarrangedforconnection with the brake-cylinder,combined with the piston operating in the signal-cylinder, and thepiston-rod connected at one end with the piston and provided at itsother end with a release-valve substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of the brake-cylinder, the signal-cylinder, a pipeconnecting the brake-cylinder with the signal-cylinder, a pistonoperating in the signal-cylinder and a tube connected with the pistonand communicating at its inner end with the signal-cylinder and bearingthe signal and the releasevalve controlling said tube substantially asset forth.

11. The combination with the brake-cylinder, the signal-cylinderconnected therewith and receiving pressure therefrom, a piston in thesignal-cylinder and arranged for operation in one direction bybrake-cylinderpressure, a hollow piston-rod extending from said piston,a valve controlling the piston-rod and a signal carried by thepiston-rod substantially as set forth. 4

FRANK H. DUKESMITH.

Witnesses:

SoLoN O. KEMON, PERRY B. TURPIN.

